TALKSPORT: NEIL WARNOCK DEFENDS JOSE MOURINHO OVER WATERGATE

"NO PROBLEM ‘I loved it, me!" – Neil Warnock defends Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho over bottle-smash celebration
By Joe Moore via TalkSport


Friday 30th November 2018


The Cardiff manager, who turns 70 on Saturday, says it’s easy for pundits to criticise when they’re not the ones under pressure to win


Neil Warnock has defended Jose Mourinho over his wild celebration of Manchester United’s winning goal in the Champions League against Young Boys.

The Red Devils put in another lacklustre performance at Old Trafford on Tuesday night but managed to book their place in the last 16 with a 1-0 win over the Swiss club.

But Marouane Fellaini’s injury-time winner wasn’t the only highlight of an otherwise drab match, as Mourinho’s celebration stole the headlines.

The boss went crazy, picking up a full water bottle carrier from the side of the pitch and smashing it on the floor, in scenes which sparked a meme frenzy online.

But while the internet loved it, a host of pundits and former players did not, with Mourinho facing a heap of criticism for his over-the-top reaction.

But Warnock says there’s nothing wrong with showing a bit of passion on the touchline.


Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, the Cardiff manager – who turns 70 on Saturday – said: “Oh I loved it, me, I thought it were brilliant.

“He was just showing passion and that he cares.

“Listen, I’ve been a pundit, I’ve been in the studio and you say what you want to say.

“But let me tell you, it’s so different when you’re on that touchline and you’ve got to make the decisions.

“It’s so easy to criticise and get on managers’ backs.”


Manchester United legends Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes were among those who criticised Mourinho’s animated behaviour throughout the match, while fellow TV pundit Gary Lineker blasted the boss for his fuming reaction to an early miss from Marcus Rashford.

But Warnock had Jose’s back there, too.

“I would have put my head in my hands,” he said.

“I remember Adel Taarabt chipping a penalty and I put my head in my hands, I shook my head to the fans – you just do that, it’s automatic.

“You think, ‘why didn’t he play it hard and low’, and all that. We all have that moment.

“The thing is all the cameras are on you now, so everything you do is magnified.”


Mourinho answered his critics after the match by sending a message to his ‘lovers’ and highlighted his brilliant record in Europe.

The ‘Special One’ faced a backlash for that, too, with many claiming he was making Man United’s victory about him rather than the team.

But Warnock added: “If you had that many wins, you would talk about it.

“I wish I could talk about all the wins he’s got!”

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I used to rate Jose back in the day because he was a tactical genius, there weren’t many better than him, he had an arrogance that said I am the best however times have moved on and so have managerial roles, with the likes of Pep ousting him, presently Jose is like a rabbit caught in the headlights, he doesn’t know his best team, his style of football is garbage, the team don’t want to play for him and he’s getting bombarded with criticism from former Utd legends, he will be gone in the summer, the reason he’s acting like a crazed chimp at the circus because he wants it to be all about him, as long as the spotlight is on him it takes away the spotlight on how poor Utd are playing, he’s not a fool, he’s very clued up is Jose.